At least nine injuries have been linked to an electronic defect in airbags manufactured by Hannover, German manufacturer Continental Automotive Systems prompting a recall of 5 million vehicles worldwide among several manufacturers including Honda, Fiat Chrysler and Mercedes Benz.
Roughly 1.5 million to 2 million of the vehicles subject to recall are expected to be in the United States.
The faulty airbags have been found to have corrosive semiconductors that may cause them to deploy unexpectedly or not at all. The supplier behind the manufacturing of the component has been accused of knowing about the problem as far back as 2008, but did nothing to alert regulators or the public. Continental Automotive Systems will now face civil penalties for failing to alert the public within the five day federal notice requirements.
The recall may also affect Volvo Trucks North America and Mazda Motor Corp. vehicles that may also be fitted with these corrosive airbags, but the investigation into these vehicles has not been completed.
“Concealing information about a product that poses a safety risk puts people’s lives at risk,” said Attorney James Johnson. “Sadly, this company withheld information despite knowledge of deadly consequences from faulty airbags made by Takata Corp.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began its investigation into the Continental case in August 2015. A 2012 crash involving a 2008 Honda Accord was under scrutiny due to a defective airbag and Continental’s analysis of the control unit found the unit had malfunctioned.
Fiat Chrysler will recall the following models:
2008 and 2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country minivans
2009 Dodge Journey and Volkswagen Routan (made for Volkswagen)
Honda is recalling:
2009 and 2010 Honda Accords
Mercedes-Benz recalled models in October 2015:
2008 and 2009 C-Class
2010 GLK-Class
Mazda and Volvo have not yet determine if there will be a recall
Johnson Attorneys Group, a California lemon law and personal injury law firm, has experience negotiating cases with Honda Motors Co. and Takata Corp. If you have suffered an injury or a loss, contact us at 800-235-6801 to request a free consultation.
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